Chapter Twenty-One: Past Memories Like Smoke (Part Three)

By the time they left the internet café, it was nearly midnight. Su Nanxing secretly mused that since it was so late, and her place was so far away, maybe tonight she could... After all, he’d take responsibility!

Tao Ming glanced at Su Nanxing, whose sly smile made him lift the corner of his mouth. “Didn’t expect it to get this late...” He deliberately trailed off, waiting for her to pick up the thread.

Su Nanxing took the bait as expected. “Exactly! It’s so late, and your place is far. Maybe you shouldn’t go back tonight?”

“How am I supposed to sleep if I don’t go home?” Tao Ming feigned concern.

“I live nearby. Why not come to my place?” Su Nanxing sounded a little too eager.

“How could I do that? The night is long, a man and a woman alone together...” Tao Ming tried not to laugh.

Su Nanxing solemnly promised, “Don’t worry, there are two beds in my place, one for each of us. I absolutely won’t bother you!”

Tao Ming abruptly changed the subject. “I remember you mentioned stumbling upon a really great hotpot restaurant?”

Su Nanxing’s alarm bells rang—she couldn’t let him know she’d purposely lured him near her place. How should she explain this?

“I’m usually busy, so I only ever wander around my building. That’s how I found it by chance,” she lied with a straight face.

Tao Ming couldn’t be bothered to argue; after all, what else did men have on their minds? “It’s so late, I’ll just take a cab home. You should head back early too.” She figured, it was only their first date—better to play it reserved.

Su Nanxing grew anxious. “That won’t do! What if you run into trouble on the way? Let me take you home.”

Who knows? Maybe she’d invite him in once he’d walked her to her door.

With so few cars out at that hour, they arrived at her building quickly. As Tao Ming prepared to get out, Su Nanxing suddenly grabbed her hand and, with utmost seriousness, said, “Tao Ming, I want to marry you.”

Like a bolt from the blue, Tao Ming wondered if he’d lost his mind. They’d only just had dinner, knew nothing about each other! Besides, dating was dating, marriage was marriage—they were two separate things.

Seeing Tao Ming remain silent, Su Nanxing pressed on, gritting his teeth. “Let’s not beat around the bush. The first time I saw you, I wanted to sleep with you!”

No sooner were the words out than he wished he could throttle himself. How could he say what was meant to stay in his head? Around Tao Ming, his wits always seemed to desert him.

Tao Ming felt as if the past thirty years had been for naught—was there really someone so clueless? Of course every man wanted to sleep with a woman, but to say it outright—he must be one of a kind.

She studied Su Nanxing. Why wasn’t she angry? Clearly, looks really did matter.

Trying to compose herself, Tao Ming said, “Isn’t this where I’m supposed to slap you and call you a scoundrel?”

Su Nanxing slumped. “If you want to hit me, go ahead.”

Tao Ming wiggled the hand he’d caught. “How am I supposed to hit you like this?”

Only then did Su Nanxing realize and, after a moment’s hesitation, let go.

“You think I’m interesting, so you want to get closer. I get it. But marriage isn’t just about attraction. You have to see if your values align, if you can have a conversation, and most importantly, listen to your parents. My first love of five years ended because his mother disapproved. I don’t want to go through that kind of heartbreak again.”

Su Nanxing thought of his own mother, who’d only ever tried to match him with daughters of two prominent families—she’d never agree to him marrying a woman from another world. But this was another world! How would his mother ever know?

He spoke up. “I’ve met many women, been in a few relationships. I know what I want. If two people can’t even talk, they can’t make a life together. Today, we talked more than I usually do in a month. I think I’ve found the right person.”

Tao Ming felt a jolt of recognition; she’d said something similar when turning down a blind date. Silence fell between them.

Su Nanxing cursed himself internally for his impulsive confession. Even if people here were open-minded, to be so bold on a first date would surely frighten her off. And if she ran now, how would he ever see her again?

Tao Ming was just as conflicted. She liked Su Nanxing—he was good-looking, her type, and had been persistently courting her for ages. But she wasn’t some naïve girl; what hadn’t she experienced? Whether they fit together, she’d only know after spending a night.

Resolved, Tao Ming said, “Park the car and come upstairs with me.”

Even after he found himself sitting on Tao Ming’s sofa, Su Nanxing was dazed. How had he ended up here?

Tao Ming handed him a glass of water, told him to make himself at home, and went to shower.

Hearing the water running in the bathroom, Su Nanxing felt as restless as if sitting on needles, hands and feet awkwardly placed. What now? He had no experience. He’d never seen a woman undressed in his life. Chamber maids? How could he touch someone without affection? Wasn’t there a senior who could give him advice? He needed help, urgently.

...

Tao Ming emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Su Nanxing kept his head down, not daring to steal even a glance.

Well, well. Could Su Nanxing really be a novice? At thirty-two? Was he faking?

She walked up and said, “The toothbrush is in the cup by the sink—blue one’s new. Towel’s on the rack. Go shower.”

Su Nanxing mumbled a hasty acknowledgment and fled.

Suppressing laughter, Tao Ming slipped into the bedroom. She rummaged through her nightstand, only to realize she was out of protection.

Standing under the cold shower, Su Nanxing’s heart pounded like a war drum. What was he supposed to do? Where to begin?

Run away?

Only an idiot would run! He was clever enough—he could handle this!

After a quick rinse, he wrapped himself in a towel and stepped out, only to find the room empty. Had she run out while he was in the shower? But this was her own place! Was she messing with him?

Frustrated, Su Nanxing thought he might as well bash his head against the wall. What now?

As he teetered on the edge of a breakdown, the door lock clicked and Tao Ming walked in.

“Where did you go? I came out and you were gone—you scared me,” Su Nanxing blurted.

She hadn’t expected him to shower so fast. Lifting a plastic bag, she replied, “Got supplies.”

Hmm, not a bad figure.

“Supplies?” Su Nanxing was confused.

Tao Ming pulled out a pair of men’s slippers and handed them to him.

He spotted something else in the bag but couldn’t tell what.

Tao Ming shrugged off her coat, revealing she was still in her towel. Su Nanxing almost wanted to shake her—how could she go out dressed like that? Wasn’t she afraid of trouble?

Seeing his expression, Tao Ming quickly explained, “Just downstairs—two minutes.”

She turned off the living room lights and headed to the bedroom. Glancing back, she asked, “What are you standing there for?”

She lifted the summer quilt, slid in, and tossed her towel aside.

Su Nanxing’s throat went dry. Women from another world really were bold!

Gritting his teeth, he slipped in on the other side, lying ramrod straight, not daring to move.

Tao Ming glanced at him in surprise. “You really are inexperienced, aren’t you?”

Su Nanxing blushed furiously, unable to answer.

Tao Ming chuckled, scooted over, yanked away his towel, and tossed it to the floor before rolling atop him.

Only one thought remained in Su Nanxing’s mind: Tao Ming had claimed him. Now she’d have to take responsibility!